NDP leadership candidates support tanker ban

There are only two kinds of politicians in B.C.: those who support a legislated ban on oil tankers in northern B.C., and those who are willing to put our fragile coast at risk so that big oil can make a few extra dollars by shipping it to China.

Federally, the Liberals, NDP, Greens and Bloc all support the oil tanker ban and Harper’s Conservatives do not. Earlier this year, we worked hard to try to get provincial Liberal leadership candidates to commit to standing up beside the 80 per cent of British Columbians who support an oil tanker ban. Nobody stood up. Indeed, since winning the race, Premier Christy Clark – who campaigned on listening to the people of B.C. – has ignored British Columbians and expressed support for Enbridge’s proposal to bring 225 oil tankers into the fragile and treacherous waters surrounding the Great Bear Rainforest.

Thanks to all the hard work of our supporters, the oil tanker ban has become the dominant environmental issue in the federal election, not just in B.C., but across Canada.

Fast forward a few months to the provincial NDP leadership race. All three leading candidates vying for the leadership oppose the proposed Enbridge pipeline and oil tanker traffic on the B.C. coast. For those of you who are members of the NDP, the vote for a new leader is happening now through Sunday, April 17. For those of you who haven’t decided who to vote for Conservation Voters of B.C. has endorsed Mike Farnworth.

Meanwhile, rumour has it that a provincial election could happen sooner rather than later. The good news is that if a provincial election is called, B.C. voters will have a clear choice: an NDP leader who supports an oil tanker ban, or a Liberal leader who continues to subsidize big oil and will sacrifice the B.C. coast for Albertan oil interests.

Thanks to all the hard work of our supporters, the oil tanker ban has become the dominant environmental issue in the federal election, not just in B.C., but across Canada. If Christy Clark continues to ignore the overwhelming majority of British Columbians calling for a ban, when election time comes she will see just how formidable opposition to oil tankers is throughout the province.

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